Schooner 'Bowdoin's' Seafaring Life

The schooner 'Bowdoin' at sea

William H. Hand, a naval architect from New Bedford, Massachusetts, designed the Bowdoin to Donald MacMillan's specifications.

After many seasons in the Arctic, MacMillan was well aware of the conditions his new vessel would encounter. With a strong and rounded hull to deal with ice, the schooner carried fewer sails than most schooners and had a strong engine.